Shaq says he will play in the NBA next season, but only for a contending team

APShaquille O'Neal may be looking at retirement, but he will not play overseas, he said.

By ANTONIO GONZALEZ

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Shaquille O'Neal believes he will be playing in the NBA next
season, though the four-time champion says he will retire if a
contending team doesn't make him an offer. Playing internationally is
not an option.

O'Neal said Tuesday that if the time has come for him to retire, he will do so "very graciously" and "have a big party."

"I
know I will play in the NBA next season," O'Neal said. "International?
No. The good thing about me and my career is I came in, did it my way,
did more than expected. For every athlete or every great person, there's
a time when it has to end. When and if it ever ends it will be very
graciously.

"We're going to have a big party.
We're going to have a ceremony and the next thing I'll be waiting for is
the entrance into the place where your name will never be forgotten."

The
38-year-old O'Neal spent last season with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He
won three NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers and another with the
Miami Heat.

But he has struggled to find a
contract on a team that can guarantee him playing time, enough money and
a chance for one more championship to add to his legacy.

He
all but ruled out joining LeBron James in Miami or a return to Orlando,
where he began his career in 1992, with both teams not showing much
interest. And he admitted this offseason has been particularly difficult
floating around in free agency.

"For me, it's
been a real thinking process," O'Neal said. "I came into the league
very graciously and want to go out very graciously. My main thought was I
would like to play for a winning franchise, somebody that's used to
winning, somebody that keeps winning. Hopefully, I'll make my decision
here in the next one or two days."

O'Neal was
in Orlando with teen pop star Justin Bieber to promote the basketball
giant's television show, "Shaq Vs." The second season of the reality
competition was set to begin airing Tuesday night on ABC.